The League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposes HB 942 HD1 which establishes the Harbors and Parks Development Authority.

This bill simply excerpts a subset of potential PLDC properties and creates another ‘authority.’ It makes little sense to potentially have bills for both PLDC and a separate authority alive. The Governor’s package should have clearly stated the preference for one or the other rather than having potentially conflicting authority and responsibility proposals in the hopper.
Further, DLNR already has the authority to generate specific proposals to generate revenues from private land uses of underutilized lands. If DLNR were adequately funded, and if its funds were protected from being raided for other purposes, there would be no need for another ‘authority,’ The mission of DLNR as the steward of the public lands of the State is more trustworthy than the unknown quality of an ‘authority’ that would make all boat harbors, launching ramps, and state parks and surrounding lands vulnerable to development without safeguards to the public interest.

We urge you to vote down this bill. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.